Hairpin having handle for facilitating opening



A. P. CALLIES July 13, 1965 HAIRPIN HAVING HANDLE FOR FACILITATING OPENING Filed 001;. 29, 1962 AMANDA P. CALLlES fl-r-rakA/s United States Patent 3,194,248 HAIRPIN HAVING HANDLE FOR FACILITATING OPENING Amanda P. Callies, 350 E. 22nd St., North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Filed Oct. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,769 Claims. (Cl. 132-50) This invention relates to improvements in hairpins.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a hairpin having parallel legs connected together at adjacent ends and including handle means by means of which the free ends of the legs may be easily separated to form an entrance between said legs for hair.

Another object is the provision of a hairpin having parallel legs with one leg longer than the other and handle means on the shorter leg which make it possible to open the pin by inserting the longer leg beneath the users hair and pulling outwardly on said handle means.

Hairpins that may be opened for the insertion of hair therein are known in the prior art, such as, for example, disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,187,285, dated June 13, 1916. Such pins are like tongs having short handles near one end extending from a pivot point, and relatively long legs or jaws extending from the opposite side of the pivot point. With this arrangement, it is necessary to apply considerable pressure against the short handles in order to open the long legs at the free ends thereof. As hairpins are not made from very strong material, this relatively great pressure tends to deform the pin. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to open the pin as the legs thereof are being moved through the users hair, the legs may bend rather than open when the short handles are pressed together.

A hairpin according to the present invention is constructed with handle means so connected to one of the legs thereof that comparatively little force is required to separate the legs. In addition to this, the other leg is made a little longer than the leg to which the handle means is connected in order to form a toe which may be first inserted in the users hair, and after which the handle means is pulled outwardly to open the pin. The handle means is connected to the free end of the shorter leg, and yet it is located near the interconnected ends of the legs. Thus, the handle does not obstruct the normal use of the pin in association with hair rollers and the like. Another advantage of the present hairpin is that it is not necessary to get a finger between the pin and the users head in order to open the pin as is the case with the prior hairpins mentioned above.

The present hairpin comprises first and second legs extending substantially parallel to each other and connected together at adjacent ends thereof, the opposite end of the first leg extending outwardly longitudinally beyond the adjacent opposite end of the second leg to form a toe, and a handle connected to the second leg adapted to be gripped by the users fingers to pull said opposite end of the second leg away from said opposite end of the first leg after the toe has been placed under some hair to form an entrance between the legs for the hair, said legs springing together to grip the hair when the handle is released.

Examples of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of hairpin;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the hairpin of FIG- URE 1, said pin being shown in the open position ready to receive some hair therein;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of an alternative form of hairpin; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of another alternative form of the invention.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, 10 is a hairpin comprising first and second, or outer and inner, legs 12 and 13 which extend substantially parallel to each other. These legs are connected together at adjacent ends, as indicated at 15. The hairpin may be formed of individual parts secured together, but it is preferable to form it of a single strip of springy material, such as wire or spring steel. The free end of leg 12 extends outwardly longitudinally beyond the adjacent free end 16 of leg 13 to form a tongue 18. A handle 20, which in this example, is in the form of a loop, is connected to the free end 16 of leg 13 by means of a connector 21.

When hairpin 10 is formed of a single strip of springy material, as preferred, the strip is bent back on itself at 24 to form the adjacent ends 15 of legs 12 and 13, said legs being substantially parallel to each other. The strip is formed with a second bend 25 at the free end 16 of leg 13 and extends back along said leg to form connector 21. The strip is'then bent into a loop to form handle 20.

When it is desired to use hairpin 10, the user grips handle 20 between two fingers and moves tongue 18 under some of the hair to be gripped by the pin. FIGURE 2 shows the tongue under some hair 28. Then handle 20 is pulled in a direction outwardly from leg 12 and said hair. As the handle is connected to the free end 16 of leg 13, this leg moves away from leg 12 to form an entrance 28 for the hair, see FIGURE 2. The connection of the handle to the free end of leg 13 ensures positive movement of said end, and very little effort is required for this movement. Once the hairpin has been moved into position relative to the hair, the user releases handle 24), at which time leg 13 springs back towards leg 12 to grip the hair therebetween. The hairpin is removed by gripping handle 20 and drawing the pin longitudinally in the direction of the joined leg ends 15. The pull on handle 20 tends to separate the pin legs, thereby making it relatively easy to remove the pin.

FIGURE 3 illustrates an alternative form of hairpin 10a. This pin is the same as pin 10, excepting that in place of loop handle 20, the strip of material forming the hairpin is bent outwardly at 30 at the free end of connector 21, to form a handle 32 projecting straight out from leg 13 and in a direction away from leg 12. Handle 32 is gripped when it is desired to use hairpin 10a, and this pin otherwise functions the same as pin 10.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a hairpin 10b which is slightly different from the other two pins. In this example, the handle comprises a soft rubber pad 35 secured to the free end of connector 21. This pad is large enough to be gripped in order to act as a handle for the hairpin, but it is relatively small. Its softness and its size eliminate any discomfort to the wearer if the hairpin is used at night.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A hairpin comprising first and second legs extending side by side substantially parallel to each other and connected together at adjacent ends thereof, the opposite end of the first leg extending outwardly longitudinally beyond the adjacent opposite end of the second leg to form a toe, means at the connected ends resiliently urging said legs towards each other to bring them substantially into contact, a handle in the form of a loop located near the connected ends of the legs and projecting outwardly from said legs, and a connector extending from the handle to said opposite end of the second leg to connect the handle thereto, said handle being adapted to be gripped by the users fingers to pull said opposite end of the second leg away from said opposite end of the first leg after the toe has been placed under some hair to form an entrance between the legs for the hair, said legs springing together to grip the hair when the handle is released.

2. A hairpin comprising a single strip of springy material having a first bend forming side by side substantiallypa'rallehfirst and second legs, saidfirst bend'resiliently urging said legsvtowardsteach other :to bring them a substantially into. contact, the' end-of the first leg remote from theffirstjbend;extending outwardly longitudinally beyondvthezend of, the second leg remote fr'omsaidi' first b'end,said strip havingra seconds bend at said remote end of the second legto forma connector-extending backsubto amend ofithe'conneetorlremote irom said' secondbend and projecting outwardly froni said jlegs,;said'h'andlebeing Q stantially parallel to the second leg, and a handle con i nected to an end of the'connector, remote frorn asaid "second bend, and projecting laterally from saidihlegs"sufiiciently; to be gripped by the usersfingers inforder that to grip the hair whenthe handle islreleasedr 3. "A hairpin as claimed inpclaim .2 vin1which the handle is adjacent said first bend; and is; in the form of a loop 4. Aihairpin as claimed in claim 2 in which 'the' han'dle is adjacent said first bend and is. in the form of a small,

soft rubber pad. 7

, '5. 'Ahairpin' comprising a singlestrip of springy ma: terial having a first bend forming side by side substantially parallel tfirst and second legs; said firstbend resil- 'iently urging said legs towards each 'otherfto bring. them 25 C E substantially into contact, thelend of the first leg remote ILOUIS J. DEMBO, Examin'erl V 'j 5 from the: first :ibend extending outwardly 'longitudinallyb yond theend ,of the secondvleg remote fromsaid first bend, said strip havingla second bend at-saidjremotelend- A ofthe second leg to forrn' 6 a connector, extendingback t 1 substantially parallel V to the second leg; and a, handle in the form of'a loop'adjacentsaid first bend and connectedadapted to;be;gripped ;bytheusers fingers topullsaid; remote end ofthe secondfleg away firorn saidirem otegflend V ofthe first leg" after the :toe has been placed undeii'soine; hairfto fornr-fan 'entrance' between the legs forthe hair, i V I, said leg springing together to, 'grip,;the .hair whenflthe handle isi'releasedf, V V x q References Citei djbyjth Eiiaihiner UNITEDSIATESFPATENTSE; 

2. A HAIRPIN COMPRISING A SINGLE STRIP OF SPRINGY MATERIAL HAVING A FIRST BEND FORMING SIDE BY SIDE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FIRST AND SECOND LEGS, SAID FIRST BEND RESILIENTLY URGING SAID LEGS TOWARDS EACH OTHER TO BRING THEM SUBSTANTIALLY INTO CONTACT, THE END OF THE FIRST LEG REMOTE FROM THE FIRST BEND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND THE END OF THE SECOND LEG REMOTE FROM SAID FIRST BEND, SAID STRIP HAVING A SECOND BEND AT SAID REMOTE END OF THE SECOND LEG TO FORM A CONNECTOR EXTENDING BACK SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SECOND LEG, AND A HANDLE CONNECTED TO AN END OF THE CONNECTOR REMOTE FROM SAID SECOND BEND, AND PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM SAID LEGS SUFFICIENTLY TO BE GRIPPED BY THE USER''S FINGERS IN ORDER THAT SAID REMOTE END OF THE SECOND LEG CAN BE PULLED AWAY FROM SAID REMOTE END OF THE FIRST LEG AFTER THE TOE HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER SOME HAIR TO FORM AN ENTRANCE BETWEEN THE LEGS FOR THE HAIR, SAID LEGS SPRINGING TOGETHER TO GRIP THE HAIR WHEN THE HANDLE IS RELEASED. 